Compartment tank construction



June 2,1931. I w. c. MCGAFFIC 1,808,427

COHPARTMENT TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed 'Dec. '7. 1929 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES WALTER. C. MCGAFFIC, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK coi rmarmnn'r TANK CONSTRUCTION Application filed December 7, 1929. Serial 1a.. 412,456.

This invention relates to compartment'tank, constructions, and more particularly to sheet metal tanks which are provided with bulkheads so disposed as to divide the tank into two or more compartments adapted to re ceive various materials, especially fluids or pulverent solids, for the purposes of transport or storage; i Tanks of this general type have heretofore been provided with one or more bulkheads between each compartmen the bulkheads being joined to the wall of the tank by riveting and calking or by welding, but in all such cases, the construction has been such that in the event of the loosening or breaking of. a riveted or welded joint due to faulty asemblage and rough handling or accident, material from one compartment would leak through the joint into an adjacentcompartment'and dilute, contaminate, or spoil the material therein.

Furthermore, in many former welded con-'- structions the bulkheads and tank wall menibers were 'oined by means of inside welding, which is difficult of accomplishment initially, and provides joints which are practically inaccessible for'purposes of repair after the tank is completed. Therefore, in order to obviate these difiiculties and disadvantages of prior constructions, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a compartment tank inwhich the partitions or bulkheads are so joined to the wall members that inadvertent leakage of material from any compartment through the joints will merely result in a loss of material from such compartment, and leakage of material from one compartment into another will be prevented. 7 49 Another object of the invention is the pro- -vision .of a compartment tank of this general nature in which each compartment may be considered an independent tank, there being -no' rivets, perforations, or welds which are common to more than .one of said compartments. v Further objects and features of novelt will be apparent from the following specification when read inconnection with the 50 accompanying drawings in-which several embodiments of my inventionare illustrated by way of example: p Figure 1 is a side elevation of a two compartment tank embodying the principles of I, my invention; Figures 2 and 3 are sectional detail views of two forms of bulkheads showing the means for connecting them with the walls of adjacent compartments; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an alternative form of joint between compartments. v

. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a two com artment tank which comprises end bulkhea s 11' and 12, tubular tank wall members 13 and 14 and an intermediate bulkhead 15. It is apparent, however, that the tankmay be divided into any desired number of com artments by the 'mere' multi lication of the tu ular members 13 and 7 14 an the interposition of thenecessary number of intermediate bulkheads 15. The tank a 10 may be of circular oval or any other de: sired cross section, an the bulkheads may be of a convex or dished formation,-as illustrated I in F-igure 1,'or they may .be madeflat as in the case of the intermediate bulkhead 15' in a Figure 3. They may also'be provided with sltrengshening or reinforcingcorrugations if esire An essential feature of the invention is the dis osition of the intermediate bulkheads 15 an 15' with relation to the tubular wall members 13 and 14, and the method of joining I these/elements, and this feature will now be described. The intermediate bulkheads 15 or 15' are each provided with a peripheral flange 16 of the same general contour as the adj acent ends 17 and 18 of-tubular wall mem-.

bers 13 and 14 respectively, the internal diameter of this flange16 being but slightly greater than the external diameter of the end 17 and theexternal diameter of theflange 16 being slightly-less than the internal diameter of the end 18.

' A preferred mode of assembling such a' tank, is to fit the preformed artition bulkhead 15 oi- 15' over the end 1 of the section 13, fit the end 18 of the next tubular member 14-over the bulkhead flange 16, and, by means of a torch, electric are, or other means,-form continuous welds around the edges of the flange 16 and end 18 of the member 14 as at 19 and 20, respectively. The compartment sections may, of course; be se arate y and consecutively welded to the bu head flan cs 16, if

desired. Any convenient'number sections *7 may thus be built up to. provide a compartment tank of the desired capacity and require ments with reference to the variety of materials which are to be stored or trans rted.

Where'it is desired to have all 0 the compartments of the same diameter, the outer- It will thus be apparent that the compartterial therefrom throu h the welded joints v19 or 20,.the material rom one of the comments formedwithin'the sections 13 and 14 are substantiall separate, independent tank units, and that, in the event of leakage of ma partments cannot pass into another compartment to contaminate the material therein, but will merely pass out into the atmosphere and either drop to the ground or be dissipated in some manner-according to the nature of the material and the location of the tank. Furthermore, u on the occurrence ofa break;

these welde joints 19 and 20 may be readily regaired from the outside of the tank.

' uch a construction as is afforded by this invention ma be advantageously used in the fabrication o truck tanks for the transportation and delive of gasoline, oil, or'other commodities of ifierent kinds and grades;

i of storage tanks for such materials adapted -to be disposed either underground or other'-.

'wise; or of any other type of compartment container which may suggest itself to the user.

The embodiments illustrated and described are exemplary only and it is obvious that variousehan es and modifications may be made. therein -wi hin the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. r .i Having thus describ d the invention, what 1s claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is a 1. In a compartment tank, in combination, two or more tubular members arranged end to end and form-ing walls of tank compartments, and a single bulkhead plate forming a common wall for adjacent-compartments, a

peripheralportion of said plate being interposed between adjacent ends of two tubular members and permanently-fastened and sealed to each of said members, whereby any leakage occurring through the joint between either tubular member and the bulkhead plate will ass to the outside of the tank.

. single metal plate provi when:

tdim' walls of adjacent tank compartments, and a bulkhead forming a common. dividing wall between such compartments, and provided with a peripheral flan e adapted to interiorly receive one of said within the other of said ends, said flange being permanently fastened and sealed to each ofsaid'ends.

in combination, two' or more tubular sheet metal members arranged end to end and forming -walls' of adjacent compartments, and a bulkhead forming a common dividing wall for such compartments and comprising a ded with a flange adapted to interiorly receive one of said ends and to extend within'the other ofsaid ends, said flange being separately andand sealed to each of the other of said ends, and separate welds fastening and sealing said flange to said. respective ends.

5. In 'a compartment tank construction, in combination, a transverse bulkhead or dividing plate provided with a peripheral flange extendin substantially normally thereto, a sIiell forming a' wall of one compartment and having an end thereof fittin within the flange portion of said bu head, a second tubular shell, one end of which extends over and closelyfits the periphery of said flanged bulkhead, and independent welds ermanently fastening said shells to said ulkhead;

6. The method of assembling a compartment "tank provided with substantially aligned tubular shells and a. transverse peripherally flanged bulkhead or dividing .plate, which-com rises telescoping the en of one of said tu ular members within the peripheral flan e of said bulkhead, fastening and sealing sai elements together, telescoping sai'd bulkhead within the adjacent end of the other tubular member and fastening and sealing said last named elements together. In testimony whereof I hereunto aifiix my signature.

- WALTER G. McGAFFIC.

2. n a compartment tank construction, in I combination, two or more tubular sheet metal ends and to extend.

3. In a compartment tank construction,

peripheral closely 

